FIVB Boys’ U19 World Championship Draw completed

20 May 2013

Tijuana, Mexico, May 20, 2013 – The two North African neighbours Egypt and Algeria were drawn together in Pool D of the FIVB Boys’ U19 World Championship along with Brazil, USA and South Korea following the Drawing of Lots Ceremony held in Tijuana on Friday.

Other African representatives Tunisia and Rwanda were drawn in Pool A and C respectively.

Egypt and Tunisia represented Africa in the last edition of the competition in 2011 in Argentina where Egypt finished in the 12th position, while Tunisia was ranked 16th.

The 20-team event will take place in the cities of Tijuana and Mexicali of Baja California from June 27 to July 7.

The ceremony at the Grand Hotel Tijuana was chaired by FIVB Executive Vice President Saul Castro Verdugo with the presence of the Governor of Baja California Jose Guadalupe Osuna and Othon Diaz who represented the National Sports Commission.

The already seeded Mexico and China will play in Pool A along with Belgium, Tunisia and Poland at the High Performance Center in Tijuana, while Argentina and Cuba (also previously seeded) will compete with Japan, Chile and Turkey in Pool B at the State Auditorium in Mexicali.

The High Performance Center will also host the matches of Pool C with Russia and Iran as the top two seeded for this group, along with France, Rwanda and Finland.

Pool D matches will be played in Mexicali with top-seeded Brazil and United States being joined by teams of Egypt, South Korea and Algeria.

One of the special guests the ceremony was Ivan Contreras, the legendary captain of Mexico Men’s Senior National Team, considered the all-time best Mexican player.

The Mexican Olympic Committee was also part of the head table with Ralph Nells representing its president Carlos Padilla Becerra while Alberto Arreola, attended on behalf of the Mexican Volleyball Federation.